Since the world learned president-elect Donald Trump would be entering the White House on 20 January, one organization has been particularly worried about its future and ability to care for vulnerable women (and men) throughout the US – Planned Parenthood.
After all, let's not forget that during Trump's presidential campaign, he promised to ask Congress to repeal Obamacare when he got into office, appoint judges who firmly go against access to abortion to the U.S. Supreme Court in a bid to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling on the issue and defund the nonprofit organization.
As a result, celebrities have come out to honor the organization's 100th anniversary to inform people around the world about the organisation's phenomenal work, its history and the brave women who fought to provide citizens with safe and affordable reproductive care.
In the video, stars such as Meryl Streep, America Ferrera, Hari Nef, Mindy Kaling, Jennifer Lawrence and Constance Wu can be heard narrating the history of Planned Parenthood, in particular, the story of its Margaret Sanger and the development of birth control.
It also touches on abortion-related cases such as Roe v. Wade – which protects a woman's constitutional right to privacy in choosing an abortion – and the Hyde Amendment – which prevents disadvantaged women from using fereally funded health insurance for terminations.
In the clip, Hari Nef can be heard narrating the voice of Sanger who wrote: 'No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her body.'
The history reveals that in 1923, Sanger was able to open a legal clinic to care for women struggling with birth control, pregnancies and abortions, before becoming what is now known as Planned Parenthood, in 1942.
It also explains that approximately one in five women in the U.S. visit Planned Parenthood and 75 per cent of those are of low income.
Girls actress Lena Dunham shared the animated short film she co-directed earlier this week via her Lenny Letter and her Facebook page, Now This Her.
Discussing its release, she said: 'I really think it's the best cartoon about the history of reproductive freedom ever made, but it may also be the only cartoon about the history of reproductive freedom ever made.
'The spirit behind this video will hopefully take us into the Women's March on Washington this weekend, where we will be showing our new president that we're not going to allow a hundred years of progress to disappear overnight,' she added, referring to the march occurring on 21 January in the political capital.
We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Lena.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
